A Bustling MarketBringing Country Closer To Durban

If you’re looking to buy fresh farm products you need look no further than the Shongweni Farmers Market. With over 200 stalls it’s the biggest and best market of it’s kind in Durban, maybe KZN.

Operating every Saturday morning from 6:00 to 10:30 AM in an easily accessible location, you’ll never run short of your favorite foods and they have everything:

Fresh vegetables of every kind (some organic).

Fresh meat.

Eggs (double yoke for the extra hungry).

Health products.

Freshly baked bread (buy early, they run out soon).

Crafts galore by local crafters.

Furniture, indoor and outdoor.

Not to mention jewelry, tools, gadgets and many vendors cooking food to your liking on the spot. I couldn’t keep count of the cappuccino machines. They even have a large (200 capacity) open sided tent to eat under and it stays full. If you don’t like eating in a crowd get take-away. We took our rostis home and had them with double yokes. Read more

For travelers coming to the 2010 World Cup don’t hesitate to organize your flights with Kulua. It’s more than transportation. It’s an experience. If you wish to fly inexpensively yet confidently in the hands of reliable professionals, look to kulula.

This review comes a long time after the fact but it’s a story that deserves telling even late.

Last July my wife and I flew to Johannesburg partly for business and partly for pleasure and we flew on Kulula Airlines. This wasn’t our first flight with Kulula and I can assure you it won’t be our last.

Kulula is a small, South African based, no frills, budget airline that began operating in August 2001 with one aircraft and has since expanded to eight, all 737-800’s. They cover all the main routes in South Africa and a few destinations in neighboring countries, as well as Mauritius and the best part is the price.

If you plan ahead you can usually buy tickets at less than half the rate of the nationally subsidized carrier, South African Airways, and if you get caught organizing last minute bookings they still offer reasonable prices, if seats are available.

Like most budget airlines, snacks are not free but are reasonably priced and (surprise!) tasty. They even offer snacks from Woolies which for international readers means high quality.

What makes them different to the bigger competitors and even other budget rivals is their sense of humor. The usually boring pre-flight, in-flight and post flight announcements are well seasoned with humor. They even add humor to their online and call-in services. Their primary color, lime green, isn’t my favorite but they run on time, usually – a big plus, and always provide a laugh. Granted the humor is scripted but every now and then a flight attendant comes up with an unscripted quip to get everyone giggling. They are professional but entertainingly so.

As you can see from this photo, humor is incorporated in the exterior design as well.

But, back to my story. On our July trip we had an experience that sold me on Kulua for a long time to come. Read more